Disturbing Fashion Trend Makes Comeback

Friday, 21 May 2010 21:07 | Written by Jake Craney

What do Teddy Roosevelt, Pee Wee Herman, and Donald Duck all have in common? You guessed it: terrible fashion sense. I’m speaking specifically of their decision to wear bowties. Now, I’ll give some of the older bowtie enthusiasts a free pass, as it seems wearing one was sort of the cool thing to do back in the day. Much like James Dean and the like gave way to an entire generation of wheezing smokers with future emphysema, Frank Sinatra and Winston Churchill gave a certain status to the bowtie.

Just like so many disturbing trends that have cycled back into fashion in the last decade or two, the bowtie has become an unwelcome and openly mocked style choice. Once donned by the likes of Churchill, Roosevelt, Chaplin, Groucho Marx, and of course Colonel Sanders, the bowtie also comically resides on fictional characters like Donald Duck, Huckleberry Hound, and Tucker Carlson. Somehow, these silly ties have ‘uglied’ their way back into mainstream fashion as well; appearing in recent fashion shows paired with expensive suits and runway models.

If the majority of us decided to wear bowties and go out in public, the result would be similar to the short-lived MTV game show “Yo Mama.” Gangs of enthusiastic jokesters would take turns hurling insults at us while their entourage covered their mouths and yelled “Ohhhhhh,” as if contributing something worthwhile to the insult or life in general. Insults would rain upon us as we stood, helpless and ashamed. “Yo bowtie so cheesy, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese wanted to buy the recipe!” or “Yo bowtie so stupid, it lost at a game of world geography to Sarah Palin!” Put simply, trying to pull off the bowtie would be a disaster. Bowties must be left to cartoon characters, signs above KFC restaurants, and arrogant frat guys that need something to make their endless supply of pastel polo shirts a little “classier.”

We could try to wait out the storm until the bowtie goes back out of fashion, but since they seem to be gaining popularity by seeping into “respected” fashion shows and modern culture, more action must be taken. This trend needs to go quickly the way of platform flip-flops, Crocs, and Ed Hardy clothing. To do so, I propose we take some of the most scorned public figures and force them to wear bowties for the next few months. That should do the trick. If you saw Ben Roethlisberger, John Edwards, Charlie Sheen, Osama Bin Laden, and Tucker Carlson wearing bowties, would you put one on? I didn’t think so.

Cliq (End Of!) Summer Fashion Picks

Monday, 01 March 2010 03:30 | Written by Orion Radleigh

With summer in full swing, for some of us, our wardrobes haven’t quite followed suit. Especially in states where summer kind of sneaks up and stakes its claim in the form of unpredictable 100 degree temps, you may not have worked out your beach, lake, or pool wear. No worries though, as COLLEGE CLIQ is never one to let an opportunity (like gratuitous buying) pass us by! Below are our three brands to make summer a lot easier, plus a few tips to spruce up your style sans spending a fortune.

For the ladies, Bristol 6 may be the best invention yet. Because we have well, specialty parts and need to keep them under wraps, Nippies and Nippies Naturals keep you oops! free. Ideal for all those barely-there summertime tops. They also come in all sorts of different colors and styles, great if you have a personal preference or plan on showing off your goods later on in the night. The most popular is the basic line; these come in black and nude and are lace or smooth. They have great coverage and are discrete but others come in lots of fun colors and patters and designs. Stars, hearts, X's, butterflies, you name it. Some of my favorite prints include zebra, black sequin, stripes, and lips. (There's even a Nippies bridal collection!) The Nippies Naturals are also reusable and come with a cute compact case. These give you a little boost in the bust and are thicker than regular styles. The hottest thing this summer, even Rhianna was recently seen wearing the silver star ones! Available online, Nippies are the best accessory around, except, well, what you got goin’ on upstairs already. www.bristol6.com

Not the most novel idea, but really, Gap is chock full of cheapie gear to make your summer spectacular. Need a cool tote or silly keep-that-sun-out-of-my-face hat? They’ve got plenty to choose from. Best is their swim gear-though you may not find the suit of your dreams, GAP is the ultimate spot to select a last minute one…and starting at $7.99 per piece on sale, how can one afford not to? What are the embodiment of cute, however, are the cover-ups, in a range of styles, lengths, and colors, many are also on sale right now. So hoof it over IRL or cruise online on a lunch break and get the gear you need to turn the heat up on your wardrobe. www.gap.com

Hurley is certainly no stranger to summer wear, and this season should be no exception. I especially like their no-nonsense, straight up sexy LBB (or Little Black Bikini). Hurley and Bar Raefeli have teamed up to create this simple but stylish little number, retailing for $120 and found both at Hurley.com as well as specialty boutiques like Intuition and Lisa Kline. To cover them up I’m definitely very fond of their lowrider shorts in brilliant yellow and in a pleasing plaid. But don’t feel left out men folk, as always Hurley’s got you too. For getting wet they have an especially colorful array of board shorts, and you can find some for a mere $39.99 on up. Snag a beanie or cap and you’re ready to roll out!www.hurley.com

Other tips to keep it fashionable this summer:

-Utilize the Goodwill and other thrift shops for killer deals on stuff like tees and tanks. -Since the prices are so low, if you find something that’s almost right you can spend the extra money taking it to a tailor or doing the work yourself. Do be wary of buying shoes and undergarments here however.-Summer months are great for scoping out flea markets, swap meets, craft sales, and the like. Not only can you get some pretty cheap garb, ten to one it will be unique.-Traipse around online. Places like www.etsy.com are great to find anything from jewelry and hats to outerwear and more (all unique and handmade!). For designer sunglasses (and duds in general), go on www.ebay.com. Sometimes you can get new stuff for hundreds less than you can in stores. And check your favorite store’s website for exclusive online deals.